And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich. And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature. And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way. And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for today I must abide at thy house. And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully. And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner. And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken anything from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold. And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
The key to open this gracious history is in the close of it. Salvation coming to the house of Zacchaeus is explained, when the Lord saith, Forasmuch as he also is the son of Abraham. Galatians 3:29. Numberless are the beauties in this short memoir of Zacchaeus. But in a Poor Man's Commentary, I must all along study shortness. We are told that his name was Zacchai; but whether a Jew, or Gentile, is not said. It was a name well known among the Jews, and as such, he might have been by nature of the seed of Abraham. But whether this, or not, certain it is by the event of Christ's calling him to salvation, that he was according to grace a child of promise. Galatians 4:28. But we are told that he was a publican, and chief of the order. And how odious this office of a tax-gatherer was, may easily be inferred from what our Lord himself said concerning such. For when Jesus had occasion to remark the character of a man more than ordinarily wicked, he said, let him be unto thee as an heathen man, and a publican. Matthew 18:17. Such was the man as is here represented, whom Christ distinguished among a great multitude, and called by sovereign grace from darkness to light; and from the power of sin and Satan to the living God!
I must not stay to go over every particular, in the relation of this wonderful display of grace. A few only of the more Striking circumstances I would beg the Reader to attend to. Zacchaeus, we are told, sought to see Jesus, who he was. And those who read the history slightly, may suppose that this was mere curiosity. Perhaps, indeed, Zacchaeus himself thought no other. But Zacchaeus, was not first in the intention of this business. It was Jesus sought to see Zacchaeus, before that Zacchaeus thought of seeing him; yea, directed his steps through Jericho, purposely to meet Zacchaeus. And, as this was the day appointed from all eternity for this interview between Christ and this man, all the steps leading to the accomplishment of it were marked, over-ruled, and made to minister to this one great end. Oh! the preciousness of preventing grace! What an huge volume may be read by an enlightened eye, in every man's life, when once the day-light of regeneration hath opened the spiritual sight, to see the instances exemplified in his Own history. To behold, yea, and to trace them unfolded and explained by God the Holy Ghost, when as Jude expresses it, we see ourselves sanctified by God the Father, preserved in Jesus Christ, and called, Jude 1:1. Reader! do you know anything of these unspeakable mercies in your own history? Can you look back and see how preserving grace in Jesus Christ kept you until called to Jesus Christ; and all this from the sanctification of God the Father in his eternal purpose concerning you! Ephesians 1:4
I beg the Reader to observe with me, some at least of the predisposing causes leading to this meeting of the Savior with the sinner. The poor man is prompted to go to the place where Jesus was to pass. Little of stature, and a great throng around Christ, he is led to climb a tree, that he might have a full view of him. The Son of God comes there, beholds Zacchaeus, who no doubt, though he went to see Christ, never once conceived that Christ would see him. The Lord calls to him, calls him by name, bids him come down, invites himself to his house, tells him that he must to-day abide with him; and Zacchaeus finds his heart instantly disposed to come down from the tree, and to receive Christ joyfully.
Now, while the Reader makes every due observation on this wonderful transaction, as it relates personally to Zacchaeus, I would have him, methinks, (and every poor sinner like him and myself), consider also, what a blessed subject is folded up in it, for the spiritual improvement of all the Lord's family; and for whose comfort, encouragement, and instruction, we may fairly conclude God the Holy Ghost caused it to be recorded.
When poor sinners, like this publican, feel a desire to see Christ, in his word, in his ordinances, and in the various means the Lord hath appointed, as Jesus passeth by, though such are unconscious that very often it is the Lord working upon their minds to awaken desire, and bring about an interview; yet how blessed is it in the after stages, from certain discoveries, which at the time did not strike the mind, to perceive, that it was the Lord's predisposing grace, which led to all. And though such are little in knowledge, little in the apprehension of their sins, and a want of Christ, as this man was little in stature; yet neither the pressure of the world, the pressure of time, or the pressure of a multitude, shall keep back from Christ, when the hour is come for bringing souls to the presence of Christ, however before unknown by them, or unregarded. It is truly blessed to be brought into acquaintance with those things, after we are brought into acquaintance with the Lord Jesus Christ.
But what I would yet more particularly entreat the Reader to regard, in this striking history of the conversion of the publican, is, the grace Of Jesus manifested to him. Do not lose sight of this. Jesus, from everlasting, had his eye upon this man. The Church in every individual was chosen in Christ. Ephesians 1:4. Their names written in the Book of Life. Revelation 13:8; Luke 10:20. All Christ's sheep were given to him by the Father. John 10:27-29. And everyone of them must again pass under the hand of him that telleth them. Jeremiah 33:13. Now then the hour was come for the recovery of this poor Publican from the Adam-nature transgression in which he Was born, and - in which he was involved. And Jesus, who came upon earth to seek and save that which was lost, disposeth every plan leading to the accomplishment of his purpose, as might best minister to his own glory and Zacchaeus's welfare. Christ prompts the heart of Zacchaeus, perhaps he knew not why, (or if a sense of sin had been previously awakened by grace in his heart, this leads him) to an earnest desire of seeing Jesus. The poor man hastens to the place where Jesus was that day to pass. And the Lord that sent him there, goes there to meet him. But this transaction must not be private. Many shall know it, and behold the whole. The thing shall be recorded, that future generations of the Church may be told it, and rejoice in it also. Zacchaeus therefore climbs a tree. Probably, he concluded that he should be not seen by any one. But this afforded the very means Of making the whole more public. When Jesus arrived to the spot, he looked up, saw Zacchaeus, knew him as his Father's gift, called him by name, told him to come down, and that hastily; invited himself to his house, from the necessity of the case, and inclined the heart of this publican sinner to an instant acceptance of his Almighty Guest, who came down and received him joyfully.
And, Reader! such is the case in every instance of Christ's redeemed! Jesus, from everlasting, hath arranged every step for the accomplishment of this great end, when the hour is come for calling home his own to the knowledge and enjoyment of his grace. The time when, the place where, the manner how, all these and every other are so ordered and disposed, that not one thing can fail. Oh! what a refreshing consideration it ought to be to the Church of God. During the whole days and years of their unregeneracy, the eye of Jesus is unceasingly watching over them. And when the love-calls of his Holy Spirit go forth, like Zacchaeus, if lifted up with Pharisaical pride, self-righteousness, ambition, worldly pursuits, and the numberless other obstructions, which before kept them from Christ; down they come, and lay low at Jesus feet; and then take the Savior home to their house, and to their heart, and receive him joy-fully. Reader! are you personally acquainted with this soul-work? Do you know anything of the love-calls of Jesus? It is impossible not to know them, if you have ever heard them. The soul that hears the voice of Jesus, though he never heard it before, will know it among ten thousand; yea, the sweet sound will be forgotten by him. When Jesus first speaks to a sinner, which was before dead in trespasses and sins, it is a loud voice. John 5:25, a powerful voice, Psalms 29:3-11 a still small voice, 1 Kings 19:9-14 a sweet, loving, winning voice, Song of Solomon 5:2 and it is a personal voice, Proverbs 22:19. It will be well for the Reader, if his heart find a correspondence to these scriptures.
The joyful reception Zacchaeus gave to the Savior; the murmurs of the Scribes and Pharisees; the open confession of the Publican, with his wish to make a fourfold restitution to any he had injured; and the declaration of Jesus in respect to the object for which he came into the world; these are all so many beautiful additions in the history, if the limits I must observe would allow me to enlarge. But I forbear. The Lord bless the whole by his grace, and cause the example shown in Zacchaeus, to have the suited effect upon all his people.